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What the future holds

EAGER The audience is eager to see the chemistry between Ganesh and Ramya in Bombat

"Mussanje Maathu" is completing 100 days. "Bombaat" is hitting the theatres today and Ramya is gung ho. Her pairing with Ganesh has caused ripples and the audiences are eager to see the chemistry these two stars share. "I was very comfortable with him on the sets and I guess that'll show on-screen," says Ramya, who's parsimonious when it comes to praising costars especially her heroes. She feels rejuvenated after a long break and is raring for some interesting projects. One such is a short film, "I Am Plain Sita" designed by the renowned cinematographer, director, Rajeev Menon. He's co-written the film with Revathi. Students of the Chennai Film Institute have made the film. "It's about the travails a middle- class housewife faces during the course of an ordinary day. At the end of a gruelling day after being humiliated by all and sundry her identity is questioned since her surname is different in a certificate she produces for a job. It's thought provoking," says the chirpy actress. The trade pundits in Chennai have only good things to say about her long delayed "Vaaranam Aayiram".

The film has finally been wrapped up after a fortnight long schedule in Pondicherry. The interesting thing is that director Gautam Menon wants her to dub for the film. "He found my dialogue delivery good on the sets and wants to retain my voice," says Ramya, whose Tamil is pretty good. I try to provoke her by mentioning that Gautam seems to have more confidence in her than her directors here. I only get a long pause and an all saying sneer. The success of "Polladhavan" didn't do much for her career in Chennai but "Vaaranam Ayiram" could change all that. Back here she's also finished "Anthu Inthu Preethi Banthu". Is she doing "Veera Madakari" with Sudeep? "Noo. It's a remake. I watched the original and the heroine only gets to show her midriff while the hero has a double role," says Ramya who doesn't mince words. No talking behind the back with her. What you hear is what she thinks.

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Rajnikanth's fans have been taken for a royal ride by the director of "Kuchelan". The superstar himself had humbly claimed that his was just a guest appearance and Pasupathy was the hero but the makers touted the project as a typical Rajni film and sold it for a fortune to the highest bidder. The film, a remake of the touching Malayalam film, "Katha Parayumbol" is ennui inducing which is something you can never accuse a Rajni starrer to be. The difference is that Mammooty appears for barely ten minutes in the original while Rajni's role lasts for over forty minutes. The sad thing is that he gets to do precious little except in the climax. Rajni, in the last reel reveals that there's a tremendously talented actor behind all those idiosyncrasies and mannerisms. It's the unreasonable expectations among his fans that have made him a puppet. In the last ten minutes he leaves you misty eyed and with a lump in your throat but it's too late. The music is terrible and Nayantara sashaying with an exaggerated swagger leaves you cold. Rajni, in a chillingly cathartic line in the film says not even the biggest of stars can save a bad film.

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